Book-case



(Nd Model.)

W. A. SMITH. BOOK CASE.l

INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

Unire" rates ritiene' 4.nfrnivr 4BooK-exista.

SPECIFICATION'forming partof Letters Patent No. 293,101, dated February 5, 1884.

i i Application filed August i. 18133.` (Xo model.) i

To LZZ LLA/71,0171, t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. SMITH, of XVilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented a new and Improved Book-Oase, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of .my invention is to provide a book-case fitted with devices to lock the books in the case, and thus prevent their abstraction by unauthorized persons.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure 1 is a front view of a book-ease made in accordance with my invention, and show-` ing the lockingframe in position to prevent the removal of books from the case. Fig. 2 is a side view of the bookcase, partly broken out and in section on line x a0, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on line y y, Fig. 2, with a book-shelf partly broken away. Fig.

it isa sectional elevation` on the line c z, Fig..

3' and Fie". is an elevation of one of the slot- .ted plates of the lockingframe, in larger size.

I will here show and describe my invention as applied to an open-front book-case; but my improvements may be fitted with facility to book-cases having-a front closed by either sliding or folding doors.

rIhe letter A represents the bookcase, made with sides a, back I), and any desired num-` ber of book-shelves, c-in this instance five shelves being shown-and the case may have the usual base, d, and a top, e, of any desired design.

The letterB represents the locking-frame, which consists, essentially, of vertical bars or moldings f, joined or connected by horizontal cross-bars or moldings g. There are preferably to be as many ofthe vertical bars f as there are vertical sides and partitions to the bookcase, and as many cross-bars as there are shelves between the vertical sides and partitions of the book-ease. In the drawings a medium-sized or narrow caseis represented. Consequently no vertical partitions are employed between the sides a. The cross-bars g are spaced apart the same distance as the shelves c, so that the frame B may be raised or low wires, or chains 71, which pass over or around the guide-pulleysf, mountedin suitable braekets, j, at the top of the case, the cords being adjusted to the pulleys in any suitable man-` ner, so that they may be led to and connected at one side of the case with a pull-cord, k, which may be drawn upon to raise the vertieal bars ff, and maintain the level ofthe crossbars g, so that they mayvregister evenly with the shelves c for their entire length, to look well and not interfere with the free the books to and from the shelves. A ring or hook device, Z, on the cord It: may be engaged with a pin or hook, m, 011 the side or backof the case for holding frame B with the bars g upon the edges of the shelves c; Suitable sockets,e d, are provided at or in the head and base of the ease A, respectively, to guide and stay the vertical bars f and conceal their ends. I propose to make the locking-frame bars f g of small or light-appearing and ornamental wood moldings, and to increase their strength by reenforcing them at their backs bythe -metal strips or plates n.

To prevent any springing of the vertical bars j' away from the sides a of the case, I

may slot these bars through from the front, to

work on pins passed through elongated slots of the bars and fixed to the sides a, said pins having heads overlapping the bars fat one or both sides of the slots, but I prefer to employ for this purpose the slotted metal plates o, fastened to the front edges of sides e, over apertures p in the sides, which will permit the headed pins r, fixed in the locking-frame bars f, to work freely in and behind the plates o, thelheads of pins if' being passed back of plates o through enlargements s of the slots t of the plates. 4 The .number of these plates `o will vary with the height of the case, two on each vertical side or partition of the ease being generally sufficient. By the use of these plates o and pins fr, the outward springing of the lockpassage ot` IOO ing-frame B is prevented and the appearance of the frame or case is not -marred by slots or pins showing at the front.

lFor a simple, strong, and concealed latch device to secure the frame B with the bars g in position to lock the books in the case, as in I Figs. 1 and 2, I employ the spring bar or plate u, which lI x at one end by a pin, o, to hold the bar a in a cavity, w, of a side a of the case. The bar a has iixed to it the rod a', which passes within and along a groove, b', in the front of one of the shelves c to the opposite side a.. Pins or stops c', fixed to bars f at each side, are placed to engage the rod t at both ends or the said rod a at one end and the head of the spring-bar u at the other end, as shown. The curved head u of the bar a yields 'when struck by a pin c', to allow the pin to pass and then springs over the pin at that side ofthe case, and as the lateral movement of bar a also moves the rod a lengthwise, the other end of rod e will pass below the stop c"of the other bar f, of frame B, and thus secure the frame at both sides of the case and in locked position, and to again permit the bars g to be raised to release the books the spring-bar u is to be forced back by any suitable push bit or key i'or throwing its head a and the other end ot' rod a clear of thepins c ot' the frame. A slat or bar, fixed to the front of the shelf c over rod a', conceals the rod and f gives alike finish to the fronts of all the shelves.

The bars f/ of the frame B are here arranged to drop to the locking position between the shelves by gravity; but the frame B may be adjusted to the case Aso that the bars g drop to release the books, and must be raised to lock the books in the case by the cords and pulleys It fi f, or equivalent devices, and then latched or bolted in position, the principles of action being the same in either arrangement of the frame. One or more of the bars g may be-omitted, so that free access may always be had to the books on any one or more of the shelves c, as may be most desirable or conven- :malen I do not abandon or dedicate to the public any patentable feature set forth herein and not hereinafter claimed, but reserve the right to claim the same either in a reissue of any patent that may be granted upon this applica tion or in other applications for Letters Patent that I may make.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a book-case having shelves c, of the vertically-movable frame B, provided with horizontal cross-bars g, as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combinatiomwith the book-case A and the movable frame B, formed of vertical and horizontal bars f g, ofthe adjusting cords and pulleys h yi ls, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the book-ease A and the movable locking-frame B, of the slotted plates o, fixed to the case, and the headedl pins r, fixed to the vertical bars f of the movable frame, substantially as shown and described.

4. rlhe combination, with the book-case A and the movable locking-frame B, carrying the pins c', of 'the spring latch-bar a a', substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with the book-case A,

.of a movable locking-frame, B, consisting of vertical and horizontal bars f g, re-enforced at the back by the metal plates yn., substantially as shown and described.

XVM. A. SMITH. \Vitnesses:

Evans PENNINGTON, BENJAMIN F. MCDANIEL. 

